By Mark Daniels, Boston Herald
Nine years ago in Revere, Mike Brown stepped in the cage thinking he was going to win. He was coming off a submission loss to Genki Sudo at UFC 47 and here he was at Club Lido, fighting on a local show, Combat Zone, against a local kid — future UFC lightweight Joe Lauzon, who was then 5-0.
After winning the first two rounds, however, Brown got swept and submitted in the third round. It was a loss that stung Brown and made him reevaluate his career. But it was one that would change the Portland, Maine, native for the better.
“That one hurt me, man. I was really bummed out about that loss,” Brown said. “But the best thing about it was it forced me to really evaluate my game. I got submitted in two fights in a row . . . so that made me make the move down to Florida.”
Brown moved down to Coconut Creek, Fla., to train with American Top Team after that. It helped hone his skills and four years later he became the WEC featherweight champion. Now for the first time since that 2004 loss, Brown (26-8) returns to the Bay State for Saturday’s “UFC Fight Night 26.”
The 37-year-old will step inside the Octagon at TD Garden to take on Steven Siler (22-10), mere miles from the sight of that pivotal loss in Revere, hoping to open some eyes in the UFC.
Watch UFC on Sportsnet: Shogun vs. Sonnen on Saturday Aug. 17 starting at 6pm ET / 3pm PT on Sportsnet 360, plus catch three bonus prelims on sportsnet.ca starting at 4:30pm ET / 1:30pm PT – Broadcast Schedule
“It’s been about 10 years since I’ve fought there, so it’s going to be really cool to go back,” Brown said of returning to Massachusetts. “I feel like I haven’t left my mark in the UFC. I still have some things I want to accomplish and I still have that opportunity which is great.”
Brown made his mark in New England long before he became an MMA standout. He won the Maine state championship as a junior wrestler in 1992 at Bonny Eagle High and then wrestled collegiately at Norwich.
As for MMA, Brown cut his teeth in the Bay State. The featherweight trained in Clinton and made his MMA debut in Swansea. Seven of his first 12 fights were in Massachusetts.
“I was training there for a long time. Before I made my MMA debut, I started commuting down to Clinton on weekends,” Brown said. “I was training down there with Team Elite at the time. I was with Keith Rockel and Jorge Rivera. Keith was maybe the first guy from Mass. to be in the UFC so he had a nice camp down there, everyone was going to train with him.”
Brown made an imprint on the MMA world years after he left New England. Brown said American Top Team helped make his submission defense stronger and the results proved it. He went 6-2 in the WEC, defeating Urijah Faber for the 145-pound championship in 2008. He successfully defended the title two times over the next seven months, before a Nov. 18, 2009 loss to Jose Aldo, who is still the featherweight title holder.
Since the WEC merged with the UFC in 2011, Brown has gone 2-2. His last fight, a win over Daniel Pineda at UFC 146, was 15 months ago. Brown thought long and hard about retirement. Instead, he got healthy and underwent neck surgery.
Brown wants one last hurrah before he hangs up the gloves. And he heads to the Hub hoping to put together a memorable fight.
“I’m getting there (near the end). I don’t have a lot more,” Brown said. “I feel like I haven’t left my mark in the UFC. That’s what I want to do. I left my mark in the WEC, but still haven’t accomplished what I want in this new show. Until that happens, I’m going to stick around.”
Sonnen passes test
The Massachusetts State Athletic Commission Thursday voted unanimously to license fighter Chael Sonnen.
The license was the last hurdle that needed to be cleared and now Saturday’s fight card is a go. Sonnen is fighting in the main event against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, which will air live on Fox Sports 1 on the launch day of the new network rival to ESPN.
The MSAC met to evaluate Sonnen’s use of testosterone-replacement therapy as well as complaints against the fighter by activist groups Unite Here and the National Organization for Women, the latter protesting what it called Sonnen’s “shockingly derogatory statements about women, people of color, homosexuals, immigrants and other minorities.”
MSAC spokesperson Terrel Harris wrote in an e-mail that “the decision followed the recommendation of their Medical Advisory Board which considered Sonnen’s physical condition and medical information. The Commission also considered complaints regarding his reputation and character, but concluded no information the Commission received should preclude Sonnen’s licensure.”
Unite Here had filed a complaint asking Sonnen to be denied a license for committing a crime involving “moral turpitude” after the fighter pleaded guilty to money laundering in 2011.
Ruiz buys into MMA
Two-time WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz has acquired the American Fighting Organization, a local fight promotion.
Former AFO promoter Pete DiLorenzo and the retired boxer reached a deal last week when the organization’s future was jeopardized by financial difficulties. As a part of the agreement, Ruiz will pay outstanding debts to fighters who weren’t paid from the AFO’s last show in June.
“We were in position to launch our own organization, but after hearing about the tough situations that a group of fighters found themselves in, we decided to see if we could help out and create a win-win situation,” said Ruiz.
The AFO will hold its first show under Ruiz’ direction later this year. Ruiz has already hired two people from the local MMA scene to help. Combat Sports Agency co-owner Brian Gillespie will help lead MMA events and Brian Bradbury, an MMA expert with experience as a fighter, trainer and journalist, will head up all promotional business and operations.
